


when worlds colide

by house_of_oakdown



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: 13 is stuck on Earth and owns a bookshop, DWFicExchange, F/F, Fluff, Rose visits
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-09 08:15:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19884466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/house_of_oakdown/pseuds/house_of_oakdown
Summary: Rose Tyler, a woman from another reality, who has seen the wonders of time and space.Joanna Smith, an eccentric bookshop owner who is most definitely hiding something behind her bright smile and the door to her apartment.When the two end up speaking, they start to form a relationship, but what exactly is Joanna hiding?





	when worlds colide

**Author's Note:**

  * For [regenderate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/regenderate/gifts).



There was this one bookshop Rose liked to visit. It sat just on the outskirts of London, not too far from where she lived. The shop was small, it was one of those ones that didn’t even have a name, meaning that three customers at once would have been a busy day and, since it was rarely busy, Rose liked to sit on one of the two couches and read, enjoying the peace and the smell of the books that line the walls, causing her to become the sole regular. It also helped that the owner was very cute.

Rose didn’t know her name, but she did know she was Northern, lived in the back of the shop, liked her tea very sweet, and was fond of cats. The first two, anyone could know, the other two, however, Rose picked up on by the sheer amount of times she visited. Twice, now, she had seen the owner prepare her tea on the little counter in the back of the shop, and once, when Rose was on her way into the shop, she saw the owner stooped down outside, playing with a cat. The collar suggested that it had run away, so when the owner came back half an hour later, Rose could only assume that she had returned it to its home. This act of kindness caused Rose’s stomach to flutter in a way that she hadn’t felt since she was younger. It had all the makings of a crush and she internally kicked herself for experiencing it so soon after her husband’s death. Of course, when she told her mum, Jackie had said that it was good, that John had been dead for nearly two years now and all she could do was move forward.

It was late January and Rose was trudging through the streets of London in a puffy coat, set on making it to her place. As she entered, she shook herself off, hanging her coat on the stand by the entrance, the heavy door slamming shut behind her. After finding a book she liked the sound of and dumping the right amount of money on the counter, she curled up on the sofa and began to read.

After about five minutes, the door to the back unlocked and the owner appeared, two mugs in her hands, blowing a lock of blonde hair out of her face.

“Welcome home.” She said, coming over to Rose and depositing a mug on the coffee table. “It’s cold and you’re always here, that oughta count for something. Hot chocolate.”

Rose looked up, “You really didn’t have to.”

“Well, it’s already made so if you want it.” She gestured to the mug while sipping her own. The blonde then turned around and started to head back through the door.

“I’m Rose, by the way.” The woman turned back to her. “In case you wanted to know.” She mumbled the last part, the embarrassment of her split-second decision catching up to her.

The blonde smiled. “Joanna. You can call me Jo if you like.” Jo then turned and exited into the back, picking up the money the Rose had left.

Rose allowed a smile to creep onto her face and a girlish giggle to build inside of her.

She now knew five things about the owner of her favourite shop.

~*~*~*~

Things continued mostly normal, after that. Jo had started leaving cushions and blankets on the sofa that Rose usually occupied, even bringing in hot chocolate every so often.

When Rose entered the bookshop in mid-March, Jo was busy putting new books onto the shelves. “Need some help?” She asked as she hung up her damp raincoat.

Jo wobbled a bit on the small step ladder but still managed to hold the box on her hip. “No, I’m fine. I’m almost done, anyway.”

Rose nodded and beelined towards her go-to shelf for books her taste.

“Third shelf up, six in from the right.” Jo chirped.

“What?” Rose blinked a few times.

“I think you’ll like it.”

Rose then followed the instructions and read the blurb of the book she found there.

“Well?” Jo stepped down from the ladder and turned to face her, hands on her hips.

“You know me so well.” Rose joked, dropping the right amount of money into Jo’s hand.

Jo took the money and did a mock bow, then smiled warmly at Rose before wandering into the back again.

Rose sat down on the sofa, flattered that Jo paid enough attention to what she bought to successfully recommend her a book. Most people just saw that like liked books of a certain genre and assumed she liked everything from that genre. Even her family, even John, but Jo noticed exactly what she read. And Rose noticed the amount of sugar Jo put in her tea.

~*~*~*~

Rose quickly dashed into the shop, eager to escape the April showers. When she entered, Jo was sitting on the counter, fiddling with a strange-looking object. She looked up at Rose and smiled warmly, then furrowed her eyebrows.

“What’s wrong?” Rose asked.

“What’s in your hair?”

Rose chuckled. “Oh, that. It’s my birthday and my brother thought it would be absolute genius to attack me with confetti.” She sat down on the sofa and pulled out a book she was almost finished. “I thought I got it all out.”

A thoughtful look crossed Jo’s face. “How old are you? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Thirty-one, why?” Rose had never been too shy about her age.

“No reason. Happy birthday.” Jo then went back to fiddling with the object.

After a few minutes, Jo got down and wandered into the back before coming out in a light blue coat. “I have to nip out for a bit. I trust you.” She pointed at Rose with a joking glare.

Rose looked up and saluted before turning her attention back to her book.

About twenty minutes later, when Rose had gotten a new book and deposited the money on the counter, Jo came back with a plastic bag and quickly went into the back.

Nearly two minutes after that, the back door opened again, and Jo emerged.

Rose didn’t look up until a cheery, northern rendition of happy birthday reached her ears.

Jo was holding a cupcake in her hands, two candles on the top, making her way over, grabbing the money as she went. She sat down next to Rose with an eager smile.

Rose, who was in complete shock, reflexively blew out the candles, albeit weakly.

Jo’s smile, if possible, grew wider and she held both the cupcake and the money out to Rose. She nodded her head towards the book in Rose’s lap. “Birthday gift.”

Rose shakily took the cupcake and money. “You really didn’t have to.”

“I think I just did.” Jo grinned cheekily, then got up.

“Wait.” Rose, having broken out of her stupor, carefully split the cupcake in half. She took the candles out and extended one half to Jo.

Jo looked shocked for a second, then smiled and took the offered half, “Thank you.”

As Rose watched Jo retreat into the back, Rose looked down and ate her cupcake half.

Jo was making it incredibly hard to not fall for her.

~*~*~*~

Tony Tyler may have only just turned eleven, but he wasn’t stupid. He noticed how his sister smiled when she came home from the bookshop, he saw how she was always so eager to get there, and he also noticed the bit of icing on the corner of her mouth when she came back from her birthday visit.

After a while, he finally found out where the shop was, and he planned to see just what was so special about this place.

Tony shuffled downstairs at half eleven. He would have stayed in bed longer, school had just ended for the summer, but when he decided to do something he had an urge to do it as soon as possible.

His mum had taken Rose out for a mother-daughter shopping trip, so he knew that Rose most likely wouldn’t be at the shop, so he could successfully investigate. His dad was still at home, also enjoying a day off.

Tony peaked into the main room where Pete was sitting. “Is it alright if I go out with a few mates?”

Without missing a beat, Pete asked, “How are you getting there?”

“I’m walking to James’ then his mum is dropping us in town.”

“Who’s going?”

“James, Izzy, and Charlie.”

“Got enough money.”

“Got forty-three quid.”

“How are you getting home?”

“Same way I got there.”

Pete held his arm out and Tony hugged him. “Keep your phone on and call if something goes wrong.”

“I know, thanks, dad!” Tony then shot out the door.

He wasn’t lying, he was going into town with his friends, he was just going to split off from them for a bit.

When Tony got to James’ house, he and Charlie were already waiting.

Charlie saw him and got up, her black curls bouncing around her face. “Izzy’s meeting us there so you’ll have to wait, lover boy.”

Tony ran at her, Charlie darting out of the way, while James went inside to tell his mum they were ready to leave. And with that, the three friends were in the car, on their way to town. James’ mum thankfully dropped them off not too far from the bookshop.

“Izzy said she’s in Costa.” Charlie said, looking at her phone.

Tony nodded, “I’ll meet you lot there then, I need to do something quick.”

He said goodbye to his friends, then took off running towards the bookshop.

When he got there, he was panting, and the weight of the door was not helping. He was most definitely not ready for the door to be opened, causing him to fall into someone’s chest. He scrambled frantically to get off the stranger, spilling out multiple apologies.

He looked up at the woman he had fallen into and saw that she was looking at him with an amused smile. She stepped aside, and Tony entered, face red in embarrassment.

Tony wandered over to a small shelf of comic books and tried desperately to regain his dignity as the woman went to reorganise a shelf.so not only had he fallen into a complete stranger, he had fallen into the owner of the shop.

After nearly five minutes, Tony decided to finally speak to the blonde. Maybe start subtle, ask if there are any Superman comics. “Why’s my sister always here?” Smooth.

The woman turned to look at him. “You mean Rose?”

Tony nodded, his face heating up again.

“I don’t know. She always comes to read. She’s really sweet as well. Why, do you want her back?” She joked, walking over to Tony.

“No, she’s just always here and she always comes home really happy and… yeah, I don’t know what I’m tryna do.” Tony held his head down, willing the ground to swallow him whole.

The woman chuckled and patted his shoulder. “It’s fine. We’re not dating if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Tony didn’t reply, simply tried to make himself smaller.

“I’m Joanna.” She held her hand out.

Tony took it. “Tony.”

Joanna smiled and focused her attention on the shelf in front of them. “Well, Tony, I think I have just the thing for you.” She declared, pulling out a comic.

“How did you,” Tony took the Superman comic in his hands. “How did you know?”

Joanna winked and walked back o the shelf she was organising. “Just leave the money on the counter, Rose always does.”  


Tony quickly fished out the money and dropped it on the counter, stuffing the comic into his schoolbag. He quickly opened the door, thankfully with no help this time. “Thank you!”

He then darted down the street to Costa, eager to see Izzy.

~*~*~*~

First-year of High School did many things to Tony, one of which was introduce him to an apparent love of baking. His mum and Rose were over the moon at this revelation, requesting treats regularly for a reason that was lost on Tony.

On a warm afternoon in August, Tony was busy in the kitchen, adding a light dusting of cocoa powder to his latest batch of brownies. Rose was going to leave soon and, ever since his meeting with Joanna, he had started to ship his sister with the bookshop owner. Hard. So hard that he made the brownies for Rose to bring to Joanna.

When Rose finally came barrelling down the stairs, Tony was just placing the brownies in a plastic container with a few napkins.

Rose swung around the door frame and sniffed the air. “Ah, knew you were up to something. Save some for me.”

“Actually,” Tony said, dragging it out as he placed the lid of the container on. “These are for you.” He held them out to Rose. “You and Joann-ah I mean the owner of that shop you go to.”

Rose raised an eyebrow with a smirk. “Alright.” She took the container. “Thank you.”

Tony smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Rose smiled back and placed a hand behind his head and kissed the top of it, then promptly smacked the back of his head. “Stay out of my life.”

Tony rubbed the back of his head as his sister dashed out of the kitchen. “I’m your brother, it’s not like I have much of a choice!”

~~~

Rose pushed the door of the shop open with her back, the box of brownies cooled down enough to provide a comforting warmth as opposed to the uncomfortable heat she had felt leaving the house.

Rose scanned the shop then, after gathering that Jo must be in the back, walked over and knocked on the door. A crash sounded, then something that sounded suspiciously like a small explosion, then Jo’s voice calling out, “Just a minute!”

Rose scrunched up her face in confusion, then deposited the brownies on the counter. “Everything alright?” She reached for the door handle.

The door snapped open and Jo’s dirty face peered around it. “Yep.” She then retreated back behind the door.

Rose blinked in confusion, then grabbed the box of brownies and leaned on the counter.

When Jo finally emerged, she was holding a dirty cloth, face now clean. “Sorry about that.” She then seemed to notice the cloth still in her hand and threw it through the door.

Rose pushed herself off the counter. “What the hell was happening in there?” She asked with a light smile.

Jo eyed the box in Rose’s hands. “Don’t you think a woman is entitled to a little privacy? What’s in the box?”

Rose chuckled. “My brother made them. For us.”

Jo looked up with a smile. “Tony? He’s a sweet kid, you should be proud.”

“I am, he’s an amazing cook, though if he comes here again don’t tell him I said that. Can’t have him knowing I see him as anything but the bane of my existence.” Rose furrowed her eyebrows with a smile as Jo went to open the box. “Someone’s eager.”

Jo responded by taking one out on a napkin and taking a bite. Her face immediately contorted into one of bliss. “Oh, amazing is an understatement.” She said, speech muffled by the food. “How old is he?”

Rose swallowed a bite of her own brownie. “Just turned eleven.”

Jo’s eyes widened, and she almost choked. “Eleven?” She cleared her throat as Rose put the box down on the counter, ready to help if she were actually choking. “Damn.”

Rose chuckled. “Yeah, I know.”

The two women then made their way to the sofas, Jo getting up to after a few minutes to make tea. Rose had to thank Tony, because if he didn’t poke around in her personal life than she wouldn’t be having brownies and tea with one of the most attractive women she’d ever met.

When Jo came back with the tea, she had a book tucked under her arm. As she was sitting down, Rose pulled her own book out of the canvas bag she had deposited beside the sofa. The two then resigned themselves to a few blissful hours of reading, silently sipping tea and finishing off the brownies.

As time progressed, they got closer to each other until Rose’s back was leaning on Jo, and Jo’s arm was draped over Rose’s shoulder, fingers idly playing with her hair. As Rose turned the page, she absently reached up and grabbed Jo’s hand, Jo eventually resorting to rubbing circles onto the back of Rose hand with her thumb.

Rose sighed softly. “My husband used to do that.” She mumbled.

Jo paused. “Used to?” She asked tentatively.

“He died, two years ago.”

“Oh.”

Jo swallowed. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No.”

And so Jo smiled and resumed and Rose allowed herself to recognise everything she felt towards this woman as something more than the crush she had dismissed it as.


End file.
